THE WEEK

U.S. Bombing of Chinese Consulate Protested

The United States had “only one desire” for Laos and all
nations, namely, that “the people may live in peace.” Thus spoke U.S. Vice-President Humphrey
in Vientiane in mid February while on his Far East capital-hopping trip to drum up support and
soldiers for Washington’s misadventure in Vietnam.

Within a few days, however, American planes blew Humphrey’s
fine words sky-high. On February 18, four U.S. jet fighter-bombers bombed and strafed the city
of Phong Saly in northern Laos. During the bombing, the American planes also attacked the
Chinese Consulate-General in the city, causing serious damage to buildings and other Chinese
property. This was the third time that U.S. military aircraft had bombed Chinese diplomatic
missions in Laos and it was another direct provocation against the Chinese people by U.S.
imperialism and its followers in expanding the war in Indo-China. In a statement of protest
issued on February 19, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared: “The bombing of the
city of Phong Saly by U.S. planes indicates that U.S. imperialism has stretched its tentacles
of aggression over the whole of Laos. In professing the desire that the Laotian ‘people may
live in peace,’ the United States actually wants to wage a general war in Laos.”

Pointing out that the Laotian authorities in Vientiane who
had allowed the U.S. planes to carry out such raids could not shirk their responsibility, the
Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said: “The Chinese Government solemnly points out that the
Laotian authorities are acting against the wishes of the Laotian people in serving as a willing
henchman of U.S. imperialism in its expansion of the war in Indo-China, violating the Geneva
agreements and being hostile to the Chinese people, and that they will certainly come to no
good end.”